Wednesday, November 26, 2014

For this year’s
Thanksgiving week blog post, we thought it would be fun to offer a
recipe or two. Historians tell us that wild turkey was indeed one of
the many meats served at the first Thanksgiving (in addition to
shellfish, venison, duck, goose, passenger pigeon, and possibly even
swan). Research into historically accurate Thanksgiving dishes
yields lots of recipes that are influenced by the feast of the early
settlers, but adapted for modern cooks. But isn’t it more
interesting to read about how the authentic dishes were cooked and
served? While smaller birds were likely spit roasted, it’s
believed that turkey was cut into pieces and boiled:

Place a turkey (cut up into pieces) in a large pot filled with cold
water and some salt. Simmer for about an hour, skimming away the
froth that rises to the top. Remove the turkey and let it cool, then
boil the water until it’s reduced by half. Add to the stock some
sliced onion, a bundle of herbs (sage, parsley, savory, thyme, etc.),
some cider vinegar, some butter, sugar, and pepper. Cut up the
turkey into smaller pieces and add it back to the stock. Serve with
“sippets” (toasted bread).

If you are not
inspired to boil your Thanksgiving turkey, perhaps you’ll consider
roasting the bird with a traditional New England oyster stuffing.
Take a pint or two (for a large bird) of fresh oysters and their
liquor and chop them finely (or put them through a meat grinder as my
mother did – not an appetizing sight). Tear up stuffing bread of
your choice, add salt and pepper and some old bay seasoning mix and
mix in the oysters with your hands until it feels like a good
stuffing consistency. Add a little water if needed and stuff it in
the bird (this is best done on Thanksgiving day – don’t make it
and stuff it the day before or it can go terribly wrong and make you
sick) or bake it in a separate dish (safer option and will result in
some nice crusty bits).

While
preserving this important piece of historic architecture, HBI and
TACC will partner with entrepreneur Noah Hicks, founder of Bowdoin Bike School in Dorchester, to undertake the repurposing of the
Upham’s Corner Comfort Station as a full-service bicycle shop and
café. Our proposal achieves three important objectives: it enhances
the Upham’s Corner Main Street district by reactivating a
long-abandoned building; it supports a new commercial venture for a
local entrepreneur; and it expands employment opportunities, with an
emphasis on skills training for neighborhood residents.

Friday, November 21, 2014

In July, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed House Bill No. 4363 which prepares the State-owned Parcel 8 in Roxbury for transfer to the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the city of Boston for disposition for development. Among other things, the bill requires that an archeological survey be completed of the southeastern portion of Parcel 8 (once an edge to the colonial period Roxbury Neck) in order to understand what historical material lies beneath this area so transformed in the 1960s and 70s by the unsuccessful Inner City Belt Highway project.

That archeological work began and will end this week. It was commissioned by the property owner, the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, and is being conducted by an archeological team from DCR and the University of Massachusetts’ Archeological Services program. The team had done considerable base research using historic maps of the area over several periods of time, and designed a methodology for digging that would give them the most comprehensive subsurface views of the site.

Friday, November 14, 2014

HBI is grateful to Feldman Land Surveyors for providing pro-bono laser scans of the 1785 Fowler Clark Farm in Mattapan. Stephen Wilkes of Feldman wrote this article to share how it’s done and why it’s so valuable to the preservation of historic buildings.

Constructed towards the end of the 18th Century, the present day Fowler Clark farm house, along with its later outbuildings, sits within a very different landscape from when it was built. Surrounded by today’s urban Mattapan, the farm house provides a special reminder of the earlier pastoral history of the area.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Historic Boston Incorporated grieves the loss of former Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who passed away on Thursday. We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Angela, and their family.

Mayor Menino was a champion of HBI’s work and provided the public leadership that made so many of our most challenging preservation projects -- and the dreams of so many of our communities -- possible. He was our partner in restoring the forlorn Eustis Street Fire House as HBI’s headquarters, transforming the long-abandoned Alvah Kittredge House into new housing, turning the empty Roslindale Substation into an anchor for new development, and so much more.

Mayor Menino co-chaired last year’s Trilogy Fund capital campaign and, when he left public office, joined HBI’s Council of Advisors. We will miss his exuberance for Boston, his can-do attitude in the face of daunting prospects, and his commitment to doing what was best for Bostonians. But we are most grateful for the legacy he leaves to us: a stronger, more beautiful city that serves the needs of its people.